Album: Lorde - Virgin

Lorde’s trajectory is continually fascinating. From the minimalist, sparse electropop of Pure Heroine to the similar but more grandiose production of Melodrama was a linear progression, but then came the acoustic guitars and organic percussion of Solar Power.

Though, like Melodrama it was produced by pop powerhouse Jack Antonoff, it had the laid back vibe of an artist who’d ditched her mobile phone and got back to nature – and divided fans. Now, the DIY aesthetics and pop-up warehouse events to promote Virgin suggested it might be a club record of sorts – but it’s not. It’s quiet, sombre and low-key.

Virgin is an interesting step for the 28-year-old. Here, producer Jim-E-Stack has curated a very different feel; it’s more early-hours melancholia and self-realisation than anything else. It’s more in the vein of Solar Power than fans might have been expecting – though instead of getting existential on the beach and off the grid, she’s doing it in a New York apartment back online instead: synths, broken drums, scratchy cellos and guitars, TikTok, engrossing herself in internet culture. 

There’s an odd lack of ambition that has brought the mood of Virgin down. Take closer “David”: the beds of sounds are gorgeous, then we’re given a build-up that leads nowhere. There’s also the acapella, 22, A Million-inspired “Clearblue” which is captivating, but keeps breaking the mood with rogue lyrics – so the beautiful “There’s broken blood in me, it passed through my mother from her mother down to me” crashes into the clumsier “I feel you answer, my hips moving faster, I rode you til I cried”.

Despite hiccups like this, though, you can definitely hear it’s the work of an experienced pop artist. It’s a moody and honest record with a palette of electronica and themes of womanhood, gender and relationships. And she’s also proved she can still throw down some real pop moments; despite the jittery, hookless melodies of singles like “Hammer” and “Man Of The Year”, tracks like “Shapeshifter” and “Favourite Daughter” bring a subdued and comforting mood to the track list.

Despite the sleepier moments and odd lyrical passages, Lorde, Jim-E-Stack, and a crack team of instrumentalists (Justin Vernon, Dev Hynes, Buddy Ross, Andrew Aged among others) have certainly curated a feeling and a mood. Highlights are in the more upbeat and up-tempo tracks, but aside from “What Was That” nothing reaches real-deal classic pop single territory. Virgin is a solid effort, but mainly it’s all mellow and no drama. 

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@jameswmellen

Listen to "Hammer":